Baffert sends strong duo

EmailWith four Grade 1 winners, two undefeated fillies, and a pair of turf stakes winners among the 16 horses pre-entered in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, the race is stacking up as a fine wagering puzzle. A full field of 14 seems probable when final entries are taken Tuesday, with little influence expected from Europe.

Annie Skates and Joffe's Run, third and seventh in the Group 3 Oh So Sharp at Newmarket, were not selected into the body of the field when pre-entries for the oversubscribed Juvenile Fillies were announced Wednesday.

Cry and Catch Me, Indian Blessing, Set Play, and Irish Smoke have all won Grade 1 races. Cry and Catch Me, winner of the Oak Leaf, could go favored over her stablemate, Frizette winner Indian Blessing.

"Everything is right on schedule," said their trainer, Bob Baffert.

He said Mike Smith will ride Cry and Catch Me, and Garrett Gomez will be aboard Indian Blessing.

Spinaway winner Irish Smoke is to have her final work Saturday and fly in Wednesday. "She's training very, very well," said trainer Patrick Biancone, who will give the mount to Julien Leparoux.

Brice Blanc will ride Del Mar Debutante winner Set Play, trainer Peter Miller said. He said she would fly in Saturday morning from Southern California.

Clearly Foxy, winner of the Grade 3 Natalma on turf at Woodbine, was to van out of Toronto on Thursday afternoon, trainer Mark Casse said.

"She's been training so well recently, we went ahead and decided to take a chance," he said.

Patrick Husbands has the mount in the Breeders' Cup.

Zee Zee, trained by Bill Mott, is the other turf stakes winner in the field. She had been considered for the $250,000 Epitome at Monmouth on Oct. 26.

Proud Spell, the Grade 2 Matron winner who is 3 for 3, is scheduled to have her final work Monday and van from Delaware Park on Tuesday, said her trainer, Larry Jones. Gabriel Saez has the mount. Ricky Frazier will ride Smarty Deb, who is 4 for 4, with all of her starts coming at Emerald Downs near Seattle for trainer Doris Harwood.

A to the Croft, runner-up in both the Spinaway and Grade 1 Alcibiades, will be ridden by Kent Desormeaux, trainer Ken McPeek said.

Eibar Coa has the mount on Phantom Income, according to trainer Rick Violette.